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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 07.09.21
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Jason Mackey
1:09
That's a valid point. I think they see those guys as being more ready and deserving of a chance to play. However, I do think that's prioritizing the now over the future, which isn't reality for them. So, I'm with you. I don't get it. I understand playing guys who deserve it. Like, we're not talking about sitting Hayes, Reynolds or Frazier. Or even Gamel of late. But playing guys who have done next to nothing, yeah, it's hard to give a good answer there. Maybe they want to put the young guys in a position to succeed? Could be overthinking that one.
Woobie
1:09
I saw that the Pirates broadcasters, at least radio, will begin to travel again. Any idea how their schedule is being decided? It seems like Brown is on the TV side 75% of the time; is that management’s call or does Brown have a say since he’s been around for so long?
Jason Mackey
1:10
I think it's collaborative. I don't think they just like Brownie make out the schedule, and I don't think they just dictate to those guys without input. Would imagine Joe wants to get on the road, too. I don't know exactly how they make the schedule, but I know they like the series structure and also that they like to keep the TV/radio splits fairly even.
Joel
1:10
is it possible to evaluate the improvement in the Pirates’ minor league coaching/overall instructional approach? I ask because the majority of the guys making huge leaps this season were brought into the organization by the previous regime.
Jason Mackey
1:11
Yeah, I think you can evaluate some of that. You can evaluate level-to-level for one. I think you can evaluate individual improvement of players -- and we've seen a decent amount of that. It's not just about results at the major league level.
Woobie
1:11
Why aren’t Castro and Tucker playing every day? For what’s supposed to be an evaluation year, Shelton sure loves to play veterans like Gonzalez, Difo (who has been good at times) and others with no future here.
Jason Mackey
1:12
Yeah, it's a weird one, I agree. Shelton seems more concerned with the present than other people in the organization, who talk more about 2023, 2024, etc. And I guess I get it, because he's being evaluated and wants the team to play as well as it can. He probably feels those guys have a better chance of helping the Pirates do that, but it does obfuscate the big picture.
Steven
1:12
Aside from Ke’Bryan Hayes and say Bryan Reynolds, who is someone or a specific group that’s worth keeping an eye on the remainder of the season?
Jason Mackey
1:13
The minor leagues. All of it. There's only so much I can give you with the major league club. Maybe Yajure comes back? Moran? Nogowski? Does Gamel hit? Bullpen has been OK? Doesn't get many excited. But man. There's all kinds of exciting stuff in the minors.
SOCAL21
1:13
Could explain how not paying top dollar to our # 1 pick helps us in later picks and why would our #1 pick want to agree to less money. He is #1 after all.
Jason Mackey
1:16
Because if he would otherwise go lower, he's still going to make more with a discount at 1-1 than he would at, say, 4. Like take Henry Davis. Maybe the Pirates draft him and he signs for $2 million under slot. (I'm just making this up, so go with me.) Next couple of teams take other places. Then what Davis would've made is less at No. 5-6-whatever. That make sense? It helps the Pirates, then, because there are similar players 1-8. They can still get a comparable talent -- seriously, scouts and evaluators view these guys basically evenly -- and then spend the savings on the second round or compensatory round, paying a guy above slot to skip college. It allows you to be more aggressive with those next picks and get better players. Astros did it with Lance McCullers. Pirates did it with Josh Bell. That's spending "over slot."
Donna
1:16
Hi Jason.  I don’t know why trades aren’t allowed in the draft.  Do you foresee this policy ever being changed?   Thank you.
Jason Mackey
1:17
I agree, Donna. Yeah, I do, actually. They should. I think GMs want it. I don't understand why they're not. This feels like something that could be easily changed with the next CBA.
EV in Melbourne
1:17
Hi Jason,  Polanco is on the IL and perhaps will remain for some time.  If the Bucs can't trade him, and he signs with some team next year, is there any compensation due to the Pirates, for example, compensatory draft picks?
Jason Mackey
1:17
I don't believe so, because if he signs with another team, they will have DFA'd him or declined a contract option, making him a free agent.
AJ
1:17
Do you think the Pirates will start being more aggressive promoting lower level players in Greensboro and Bradenton?
Jason Mackey
1:18
I don't think there's a blanket theory here. I think they're going to be aggressive with the guys who can handle it, yes. Maybe some would do better with more runway. It's just hard to give a uniform approach sort of answer. You will see some of it.
Guest
1:18
What is the hesitancy to give other players such as Craig, Tucker, Castro/Oliva now that they are up significant opportunities vs guys such as Difo, Egon, Evan who have no potential long term value with the Org. Having guys come up and pinch hit and mainly sit on the bench seems counterproductive to consistent ABs.
Jason Mackey
1:19
Got this a couple times. It's more -- in my opinion -- about trying to put a competent major league product on the field. We can disagree on the importance of that, and we probably have a different view of the manager. But if you're asking me why, that's my best shot at answering.
Paisyn
1:19
Who do you believe to be the legitimate options at #1
Jason Mackey
1:19
In no particular order: Mayer, Lawlar, Davis, House, Leiter, Rocker, Davis and Frelick.
Woobie
1:19
When will we start seeing promotions? Contreras and Cruz will have to wait for now, but you’d like to think others at Greensboro and Altoona could be primed for a jump to AA or AAA.
Jason Mackey
1:20
Yeah, I don't think it will be long. Would say probably inside of two weeks. Some guys -- Mason Martin would be one -- seems to making things look easy. Maybe a Michael Burrows at High-A. Matt Fraizer. Santiago Florez. Jared Jones. Those are some others who I think have put themselves in consideration. Oh, Rodolfo Castro and Cal Mitchell as well.
Steven
1:21
Is there anyone on the currently major league pitching staff that is a potential contributing piece in the future?
Jason Mackey
1:21
Sure, I could see David Bednar or JT Brubaker being here. I think the jury is still out on Mitch Keller. Depends on where you view Miguel Yajure -- prospect or MLB guy.
SOCAL21
1:21
Whatever we could get for Polanco would be better than what we received for Aramis Ramirez in his prime.
Jason Mackey
1:22
I see what you're saying here. They're not going to get much, if anything, for Polanco.
Drew
1:22
Is Ben Gamel a free agent at the end of the season or is he under team control for another year?
Jason Mackey
1:22
He's under team control. Will have his third and final crack at arbitration. He's making $1.5 million this season.
Mr. M
1:22
What's Maikol Escotto's ceiling?
Jason Mackey
1:23
I think he can be a very good major league hitter. That said, he's a long, long way off. So "ceiling" is a tough one there. Long journey. But has a lot of tools and apparently a great work ethic and attitude.
canyon
1:23
Do you think Kranick can be a starter on the team after Anderson gets traded (if he does)
Jason Mackey
1:24
Yes, I do. If you're aggressive and throw the ball over the plate, you can start on my team. He does that. And, hey, maybe he gets hit and needs more development time. That would be fine, too. But I would give him a chance.
GET3
1:24
How much of the $14M the Pirates have to spend on the draft can the spend on the 1st draft pick.  Can that pick ask all $14M.  Do the college seniors have another year of legibility.
Jason Mackey
1:24
He could. He's not gonna get it. Why would one team sign one player and ignore 20 others for that one player? That's why picks are "slotted?" That amount is roughly $8 million.
Matt from LA
1:25
Realizing that PNC Park is twenty years old now (How unbelievable is that?), who is responsible to make improvements/upgrades to the stadium? The Pirates? The Stadium Authority? I ask because, although it is still the #1 park in the country, upgrades are and will be needed to keep it this way, e.g., a new scoreboard, seats, etc.
Jason Mackey
1:26
You're absolutely right. Technically I think it's the Stadium Authority, although 1) I'm not totally positive there and 2) There's no way it's 100% either side for the type of stuff we're talking about. There's absolutely shared responsibility and benefit with such updates. And you're right. The scoreboard needs updated in a bad, bad way.
Art
1:26
What would it take to pry catcher Austin wells from Yanks? Frazier and Keller?
Jason Mackey
1:27
Keller isn't much of a trade piece. Believe this is the third opposing catcher we've traded for this chat. I think Frazier would be a start. I also think it would lessen the other return they could get, which means it might make more sense for them to draft their own guy.
Darnell
1:27
Jason…is Castro or Gonzales the future second baseman for the Pirates?  How do they stack up against each other?
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